Symptoms & Signs
Symptoms include:
- Feeling your heart beat (palpitations)
- Feeling like your heart stopped or skipped a beat
- Feeling of occasional, forceful beats
Note: There may be no symptoms.
Diagnosis & Tests
A physical examination may show an occasional, irregular pulse, but if the ectopic beats do not occur frequently, your doctor may not detect them during a physical exam.
Blood pressure is usually normal.
The following tests may be done:
- Continuous ambulatory cardiac monitoring (Holter monitor or patient-activated recording device)
- Coronary angiography
- ECG
- Echocardiogram
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Ectopic heartbeat : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Ectopic heartbeat : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Ectopic heartbeat : Treatment
Review Date : 6/7/2008
Reviewed By : David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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